Lt. Col Carrie Worth is heading back to Augusta this weekend for a race that has helped restore her confidence in herself.

by Courtney Johnson

No one can argue about the physical benefits of triathlon. But for many athletes that toe the line, it is the mental side of the sport that really brings about positive changes.

Take for example Lt. Col Carrie Worth. The 42-year-old active duty Air Force Combat Search and Rescue pilot suffers from social anxiety. Based in Valdosta, GA, she credits the sport of triathlon for more than just fitness. "Triathlon has returned my confidence in being me. I no longer long to be someone else, to be 'more' or to be 'better.' The me I am now is perfect," she said.

Playing volleyball and track were a part of Worth's childhood, but tryouts and sports camps were always anxiety provoking for her. As she puts it, growing up (in small-town Wisconsin) she barely spoke over a whisper. When it came to adulthood and having to seek out a team, the anxiety became too daunting. "To this day, I love to play volleyball, but social anxiety gets in the way of me freely signing up for teams or showing up at the gym to play a pick-up game," she said.

Her drive to be a military pilot helped Worth push through what she refers to as a crippling shyness and eventually led her to a career in special operations. "Over my course of my 19-plus years in aviation, including multiple deployments across three AORs, I began struggling with my return to 'normal life,' she said. "I was always looking forward to the next deployment or the next mission opportunity. When I was home, I could no longer keep my mind quiet. I found solace in swimming and running." As Worth grew older, she realized sports like running, swimming, and cycling were highly 'solo' efforts while races provided the social element. The arrangement was perfect.

'Don’t wait for the right time. There may never be the right time. Just do something great now.'

While attending Naval Postgraduate School, a friend recommended Worth give triathlon a try. She competed in the Pacific Grove Triathlon in 2009 and was "hooked," as she put it. "The training allows me to keep my mind calm and helps me focus on work, flying, friends, family – on living," she said. Through training and racing, she has become more comfortable in her own skin and with who she is. "While I am not built like a triathlete, I love it," she said.

In 2016, Worth and a group of friends from one of her military assignments decided they would train and race IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta together. She then discovered the event's Official Charity Partner, the Scott Rigsby Foundation. Racing for the Foundation was a no-brainer to the military vet: "I decided to give my training more purpose," she said.

Worth raised $2,700 for the foundation last year. "Racing for the Scott Rigsby Foundation has allowed me an opportunity to come more out of my shell, to participate in an event where you compete against yourself and your own demons, but are still part of a team," Worth said. "A passage in his book motivates me to this day, 'Don’t wait for the right time. There may never be the right time. Just do something great now.' Racing that event returned my confidence to be the me that is here versus the me that was deployed."

Meeting Rigsby in person a day before the race solidified Worth's decision to continue racing for the Foundation. This year, she hopes to meet a goal of $3,000.

To be more and to be herself still always doesn't always come easy to Worth, but she starts each day with the knowledge that she knows she can do it. "I still struggle with social anxiety; I still battle to quiet my mind; I still feel guilty for things I have seen or could not help fix during my time in the military," said Worth. "But women like Christy Wise, an HC-130J pilot that fought physical and legal hurdles to return to flying after having her right leg amputated after a boating accident, and men like Scott and the other warriors along with competing in triathlons all give me the confidence to recklessly pursue what I can become."

The Scott Rigsby Foundation is a Georgia nonprofit corporation dedicated to inspire, inform and enable individuals with disabilities to live a healthy, active lifestyle. Visit them at www.scottrigsbyfoundation.org.